Orthodox Presbyterian

This week in our study of Hosea we come to the section of chapter 13 where is speaks of kings and rulers.We have looked at this before in our study, and we have seen how leaders led the people away from a true worship of God.

Hosea 13:10-11, “Where now is your king, to save you in all your cities?Where are all your rulers — those of whom you said, ‘Give me a king and princes’?I gave you a king in my anger, and I took him away in my wrath.”

Scripture says many things about rulers and their role in our lives.We know that we are to pray for our rulers:

1 Timothy 2:1-2, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”

We are not to put our trust in rulers but in God:

Psalm 20:7, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

God raises up rulers and He removes them:

Daniel 2:21, “He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;”

Also, there is no ruler who is in power that God did not put there, and we are subject to the governing authorities:

Romans 13:1, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”

That is merely a brief smattering of what scripture says about civil rulers.In God’s Providence we are going to be talking this Sunday about trusting in kings versus trusting in God just days before our election on Tuesday, November 6th.

I like election day.We are blessed that we have a privilege to vote for our leaders in this country in which God has placed us.I plan on voting and following the results of our elections later that evening.Opinions and emotions can run high as policies and platforms are debated amongst believers and un-believers.But let us never forget the Sovereignty of God in the midst of the leaders who govern us.I encourage you to vote.Enjoy the process.But do so without the worry and the anxiety of the world because our ultimate hope and our trust is not in man, but it is in God.

One other Scripture we should bear in mind as we look forward to our elections concerns the reason that we do not put our trust in man but in Christ our righteousness.